NCJ Number
247220
Date Published
February 2012
Length
33 pages
Annotation
This is a report on responses to the 2011 constituency survey of the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS), which is charged with planning and operating programs and initiatives intended to improve the functioning and effectiveness of the State's criminal justice system.
Abstract
The survey asked the DCJS' constituency (i.e., criminal justice agencies and practitioners, private agencies, private security practitioners, and the public-at-large) about how the agency is performing and where it could improve. The greatest concern of government and government-related respondents involved funding and budget issues (29 percent of the 1,076 respondents). For regulatory program constituents, the concerns most often cited involved issues of communication and timeliness regarding DCJS activities. Cost/fees were the second most mentioned concern of regulatory-program constituents. Among the most important DCJS services mentioned by respondents were funding and training. The most highly rated DCJS services were accreditation and certification. Respondents' suggestions for improvement are in the areas of communication, funding, grants, regulations, service, staff, technology, and training. This report also includes DCJS' reaction to the survey responses. Its commitment to improved services includes the maintaining of funding, the controlling of costs and fees, expanded training, speeding up processes and reducing delays, advances in technology, and improved communication and personal service. During the current year, DCJS conducted a focus group with individuals who represented major constituent groups. The survey yielded 1.076 responses (13-percent rate). Tables and appended separate questionnaires to the constituencies of private security services and government/government-related services